Tennis legend Leander Paes joins BJP ahead of high-stakes 2026 Bengal elections

Tennis legend Leander Paes has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, marking a high-profile political entry as parties begin positioning for the contest.

His induction took place in the presence of Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar, signalling the party’s effort to bring prominent public figures into its fold.

Welcoming Paes, Rijiju recalled his performance at the 1996 Barcelona Olympics, where he won a bronze medal in men’s singles, a moment he described as significant for India’s sporting presence.

"India's name rarely appeared on the medal tally. It was Leander Paes who, for the first time, put India on the Olympic map," said Rijiju. Now, he will serve the nation through the platform of the BJP," he added.

Rijiju also spoke about Paes’s match against Andre Agassi during the Olympics, saying he was "disheartened" to see an injured Paes lose, with Agassi eventually going on to win the gold medal.

Paes’s entry adds to the BJP’s outreach efforts in West Bengal as it looks to expand its presence in the state ahead of the 2026 elections.